Hope, Dream, Wish
by KiLin7
Summary: Tsunande Miako has a crush on her neighbour, Kazahaya Kudo, and, after finding a strange shop owned by an strange witch, Miako finds that she can make all her hopes, dreams and wishes come true... Includes characters from other CLAMP works
1. Chapter 1: Fate

**CHAPTER ONE: FATE**

"_Hitsuzen"… a naturally for-ordained event. A state in which other outcomes are impossible._

"Come on, Miako, we're gonna be late!"

I groaned as my toothbrush fell from my mouth and onto the floor, splashing toothpaste suds all over the yellow bathmat. I picked it up, rinsed it off, and pushed it into the glass next to the basin. The toothbrush hit the side of the glass with a _ping _and a large chip of glass fell to the counter with a loud _bling_.

Today was not my lucky day.

With another groan I spat out into the basin and rinsed out my mouth. I'd clean up the mess when I came home; school started in ten minutes and, living a good twenty-minute walk away from the school, my sister and I would have to run to get there in time.

So, grabbing my bag from the floor of my room and ramming my feet into my shoes, I ran to the front door.

"Come on, Mi-!" I interrupted my sister, Tora, from calling me when I came crashing around the corridor, grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the apartment. She had just enough sense to grab the door as we flew out. I heard the loud bang and the soft click of it locking as we reached the stairs.

"Wha-? Miako, what are you--?" Tora spluttered in surprise as we tripped down the stairs. I chose to ignore her, noticing that my shoe laces weren't done…

Moments later we were sprawled at the bottom of the flight of stairs. With the millionth groan of the morning, I pushed myself on my elbows, causing Tora to fall off me onto the hard tiles. Soon I was in a sitting position and tying the laces of my mucked up left school shoe. The sole flapped open in the front, giving it a gaping mouth; the aglets had long since fallen – or really, been pulled off by our neighbor's playful kitten – off the laces and were already frayed at least 5 centimeters in.

Tora pushed herself off the floor and dusted her skirt off. "Miako! What the heck were you trying to do, kill us or something? I want to arrive at school alive, for goodness sake. And look at your shoes! Mom told you to polish them, didn't she?"

I scowled up at her, moving on to tie the right shoe. "Oh, shut up! Don't act like your older then me or something."

Tora flattened her short hair, "I may be younger then you, but I'm more responsible. You never would have woken up this morning if it weren't for me. And now we're gonna be late for the first day of term."

I climbed up off the floor and stood in front of Tora. I was rather taller then her, being three years older, but I'm taller then most girls in my class. Not by much, though. Luckily I'm shorter then most of the guys. "It's not my fault we're late," I growled, "If you spent less time in the bathroom, I would have had more time to brush my teeth."

Tora stiffened. "I, at least, want to look good for school. Unlike some people I might mention…"

I would have ripped her throat out there and then if our downstairs neighbor hadn't opened his front door just then and found us on his door mat.

"Hello…?" he said with some surprise, holding a set of car keys in one hand, a wallet in the other. His kitten, Ako, tumbled out onto the landing in front of him.

"Oh, Kudo-kun!" I said, stepping away from Tora. "Good morning! Did you sleep well?" Tora scoffed next to me, but I ignored her. Well, tried to. I couldn't help feeling a warm glow spread over my face. I quickly ducked down to pick up Ako, letting my hair fall over my cheeks and hide my blush.

Kudo grinned at me. "Fine…" He cocked his head. "Shouldn't you two be at school or something?" he didn't say it rudely or strictly, just with a little curiosity and concern.

I bit my lip. "Yeah. But we slept in a little."

"School starts in seven minutes," Tora chipped in. She started pulling me, slowly but with force, towards the stairs.

"Oh, well, uh, see you soon, Kudo-kun…" I said, giving him his cat as Tora reached the stairs.

Kudo grinned at me, holding up the keys in his right hand. "You know, I could give you a lift…" The keys clinked together softly.

* * *

It doesn't take a genius to see that I have a crush on Kudo-kun. But how can I help it? What with his green cat-like eyes and yellow-brunette long hair of his, not to mention how tall and pretty he is. And, he loves cats, which are my favourite animals, and he lives all by himself – well, except for Ako, of course – and has a job at the pharmacy, Green Drugstore, next door.

He's just so responsible and funny and attractive, I can't help but have a crush on him.

"Thank you so much, Kudo-kun!" I said, bowing deeply to him after quickly jumping out of the car.

Kudo grinned at me. "It's no problem. I needed to come this way anyway, to drop off my uncle's car… I was just looking after it while he was on a business trip to England."

I smiled, "Well, thanks, anyway. I-"

"Come on, Miako, school, remember?" Tora said, tugging at my arm.

I looked down at her irritably. "Thanks a lot, Kudo-kun!"

Kudo put two fingers to his head and made a little saluting gesture. "It was my pleasure," he grinned, "have a good day at school."

He pulled away, and, as I watched him disappear around the corner, the bell rang.

* * *

"Today was very busy," Himawari stated as we were walking home. We always walked home together, her and I, although, since Tora started at Cross Private School, she's been walking with us.

"I know. This term is going to be a lot harder then the last." I sighed. Like I had enough time for all the homework we were sure to get. I mean, between looking after Tora (and Ako, while Kudo-kun is at work. Just to get closer to him and show him – and my mom, since she won't let me get a cat of my own – how responsible I am), and learning to cook better (Mom's at work so much lately, I've got to make supper most nights, and Tora complains it's like eating dog food. Which, you know, is kind of rude, since I've been trying really hard, but whatever).

Himawari smiled. She was really cute, a lot of the boys at school liked her. With her curly black hair in pigtails that reached her waist, and her friendly smile. She's also really nice and the class president.

I couldn't be more different to her. Sure, my hair was long, but it only reached my shoulder blades and, although not exactly straight, it didn't curl into the adorable ringlets Himawari's naturally fell into. And it is naturally like that. When ever I sleep over at her house or she sleeps over at mine, in the morning it always looks perfect. Yeah, my hair in the morning? Like a frickin' rat's nest.

We were walking the usual route home, but as we did, I noticed something odd. It was so strange that it made me stop and stare.

Himawari and Tora stopped and looked back at me in confusion. "What's up?"

I shook my head, staring at the building in front of me. "When did this get here?"

"What?" Tora asked impationtly, crossing her arms and glaring at me.

"This little house. It wasn't here before, was it?" I vaguely remember an empty plot of weeds and grass. But now…

A wooden fence with a gap framed by two posts, a crescent moon on each, had a cobble stone path leading up to the cutest house I've ever seen. It was a two story little structure, almost a cottage, framed by tall buildings on all sides. The second story of the house had two large western-style windows in the middle. On the left was a balcony, sheltered by the roof – which had a little crescent moon on a pole in the middle – and on the right there was a circular room with a domed roof and yet another crescent moon on it, only this one was a lot taller then the one on the normal roof it connected to.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm going home." Tora turned and started walking, but I couldn't tear my gaze away from the house. They couldn't have built it over the school holidays, it was only three weeks long. And I would have noticed it otherwise.

Himawari looked at me and the slowly disappearing back of Tora. "Come on, Miako."

I could only shake my head. "You go on ahead. Look after Tora." I took a step towards the house and touched the post. Immediately I felt like I was being pulled inside, towards the front door. "I'll catch up just now…"

Himawari frowned at me worriedly. "Um…" she to look at Tora. She knew she shouldn't let Tora go by herself, but she couldn't leave me behind.

"Just go, I'll be fine." I didn't know whether this was true or not, but I was already half way down the cobble path and couldn't turn back even if I wanted to (which I didn't, but that's beside the point).

Himawari clapped her hands together worriedly. "Well, okay…" she said uncertainly. Then she turned to follow my sister.

And I stepped into the house.

_I hope you like the first chapter. Miako, Tora and Ako are all my characters, but most places and other characters are by CLAMP._


	2. Chapter 2: Trust

**CHAPTER 2: TRUST**

_There are a great many strange things in the world, but no matter how incredible something may be, if a human does not touch it, if a human does not see it, if a human is not involved with it, it is simply something that happened; simply a matter that will fade with time._

Kudo hopped down from the step ladder he had been standing on. He landed on the clean white tiles with a soft _thud_. He straightened up, ran a hand through his dark blonde hair, and sighed.

Himura smirked at him, putting the large cardboard box he had in his hands onto the now vacant step ladder. "What, you tired already?" he asked mockingly. Himura had a tall, broad build with short straight black hair that fell into his cold eyes. He was rather aloof, the quiet type, as some would say, and in that he was very popular with the girls.

Kudo glared at him. "No," he snapped, before sighing again and picking up the box. "I was just thinking."

"Oh," Himura nodded knowingly, "I see. And that always puts a strain on you."

Kudo gritted his teeth, his finger nails digging into the cardboard box. Himura always knew how to push his buttons. That was one of the reasons Kudo had moved out from the apartment above the Green Drugstore when he saw the empty flat next door.

Himura shrugged. "Let's get back to work," he said, taking the box away from Kudo. Their hands brushed together briefly.

A sharp whistle from the back room startled Kudo as he was climbing onto the ladder again. He fell backwards with a shout of surprise, landing on Himura with a _thump_.

And of course, at that exact moment, Saiga and Kakei walked in. They saw the two, tangled on the floor, and immediately assumed the worst.

"Boys!" Saiga hooted, "Have a little modesty, This is a public store!"

Kudo got up hastily, blushing profusely. "I just fell off the ladder, that's all!"

Himura pulled himself up slowly. "You dunce," he muttered.

Kudo turned on him. "What?" he practically screamed, "It's your fault!"

Himura frowned, "How?"

"Uh…" Kudo couldn't think of a reason. Then he remembered. "It's your fault, Saiga-san! You whistled and startled me right off the ladder!" He pointed an accusing finger his way.

Saiga laughed, but didn't deny, or apologize, for whistling. He was tall, like Himura, but the frown on his face was more a joker's glare then a grump's sulk. He wore dark glasses, even inside or at night, and his short black hair, although similar to Himura's, was brushed side ways and out off his face.

"Come now, boys," Kakei said calmly. He was shorter then Himura and Saiga, but taller then Kudo. He had blonde hair cut in layers and wire-rimmed glasses. His face was calm, but much like a serpent. Or a cat. "We have a job for you…"

* * *

"Welcome to our humble home!"

I looked down as the doors opened to see two small girls. The one on my left had long fluffy hair in pigtails. Her hair was so long it trailed on the floor. She had on a black dress with bat-like trimmings. The one on my right had two buns, one on each side of her head and short hair that curled in to frame her face. Her dress was white with poofy trimmings. Both their faces were the same, like twins: they both had… well, dead eyes.

I smiled down at them. "Hello…"

They both raised their hands simultaneously to cover their mouths as they giggled, "Mistress, we have a guest!" They then proceeded to grab one of my arms and pull me in. I let them, looking around at the room, kicking my nasty school shoes off in the process.

The floor was wood; the walls similar to traditional Japanese sliding doors, with beautiful pictures on them: a full moon defeated by the sinister clouds that crept over its stomach, trying to darken the night; a crescent moon standing boldly in front of the clouds that tried to smother its light… at least, that's what they looked like, but maybe I was looking into it too much (I have a vivid imagination).

The girls brought me to a door, and from behind it I heard a beautiful, frightening, seductive voice that said, "Your coming to visit me is proof of 'Hitsuzen'…"

I had no time to grasp this newly acquainted word for, as the voice finished her (for I was pretty sure it wasn't a man speaking. No male could ever have such a beautiful voice) sentence, the two girls slid the doors open, and I gasped in surprise. The woman that sat there was like no person I had ever seen before. She couldn't have been human; she was too beautiful, too grand. She was sitting on a thrown, her long straight black hair layered and falling down over her shoulders, over her hands and on down over the chair's arms. Her yellow eyes displayed a look of pure boredom, malice or perhaps even anticipation. She had on elegant black gloves that came half way up her forearms; a choker-type necklace, from which dangled a large crescent shaped bead that, in turn, held three tear drop beads, clung to her thin porcelain neck. Her dress was sleeveless with a skirt that brushed the floor. There was a slit from her hip to the bottom of the dress that clearly showed off the black boots (that were similar to socks due to the fact that they did not having any heals) that reached almost to her thy. On the front of the dress was a picture of a flower – perhaps a lotus or a protea… maybe even a lily.

"H-hello…" I said slowly, not sure what to do. It suddenly dawned on me that I had just walked into this woman's house uninvited. I felt a deep shame creep over my cheeks (yes, you will notice that I blush easily. I think it's hereditary). "I-I'm sorry I just walked into your house. I didn't mean to… I-I was just drawn in…" I drifted off stupidly.

"Yes, that's because there is a ward on the fence." The woman said breezily, lounging over the chair. She now had her long legs folded beneath her, resting her chin on her arms that additionally rested on the chair's arms.

"A ward?" I repeated, cocking my head to the side.

The woman smiled a smile of contempt, although it wasn't all that offensive, "Yes, a ward. A restriction placed on an entrance so as not to interrupt Buddhist training."

"Oh…" I said, for lack of anything better.

The woman's smile became friendlier, "Your name?" She asked bluntly.

"Tsunande Miako." I answered, vaguely remembering my mother saying not to give my name away to strangers. But then again, I wasn't supposed to go into a stranger's house either, so…

"Do you wish to know my name?" The woman asked as the two girls bounded over to her. The one with short hair went to sit beside the arm close to the woman's feet; the other, with the long hair, stood on the other side by the woman's head.

I nodded, "Yes, I suppose…"

"My name is Ichihara Yuko." Yuko raised her head to kiss the girl with the long hair. "And these children are Maru…" she patted the short haired girl by her feet, "and Moro."

Yuko sat up, dropping her feet to the floor and sitting in the way most people would. "Your visit here is no coincidence. It is 'Hitsuzen'."

"'Hit… Susan'?" I repeated stupidly, frowning.

"A naturally for-ordained event. A state in which other outcomes are impossible. So, tell me, why did you come here?"

I frowned, "Why did I come here? I don't know, your 'ward' pulled me in."

Yuko rested her chin on her hand, her elbow rested on the chair's arm, "This is a store, where wishes are granted."

"Wishes are granted!" Maru and Moro repeated, smiling brightly. But their smiles didn't reach their eyes: they were still as dead as a graveyard.

"What is your wish?"

I thought this over. A shop in which wishes are granted? That was hard to believe… However, looking at this woman, I was sure it was true. But what was my wish? And, did I have one? A few things swam through my head: a kitten, better cooking skills, a better understanding of my school work, and, of course, to be Kudo's girlfriend.

But I knew they were all lazy wishes and, if I worked hard enough, I could achieve them myself. Well, except the thing about Kudo, but I've watched enough TV to understand that you can't buy love.

So finally I replied, "…I dunno."

"People who do not have wishes cannot enter, or even see, my shop, so you must have a wish."

I shrugged, "Nothing I can think of at the present. But…" I looked around the room, it was so… strange. And oddly appealing. "I do like this shop. It's wonderful." I felt a strange pang of normality: I suddenly felt like my life was so boring compared to this place.

Yuko arched one of her perfect eyebrows, "Is your wish to be near this shop?"

I smiled, "I suppose… yes."

Yuko nodded, "Then this is what I propose: why don't you work for me? In such, you get to be near this shop and see how it works, and I get someone to help me keep this place running smoothly… You could be like my apprentice."

"What would I have to do?" This all sounded very promising. I had never been anyone's apprentice before.

"Help me grant wishes and finish jobs." Yuko shrugged, "Whatever I think of and whatever you're up to doing."

I thought this over for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"Well, perfect!" Yuko clapped her hands together, her eyes widening in delight. "I'll draw up a contract!"

"Draw up a contract!" sang Maru.

"Draw up a contract!" sang Moro.

"Now, you come back tomorrow. I have another appointment soon and you need to go home and clean up the mess in your bathroom before you mother sees it."

I frowned at her, not sure what she meant. Then it hit me: the toothpaste I had messed before school! I thanked her and rushed home quickly.

It was only that night, as I lay in bed in the dark, that it occurred to me: how had she know about the toothpaste…?

_The Green Drugstore, Yuko's shop and Cross Private School are all places created by CLAMP. Yuko's outfit was created by CLAMP (see xxxHolic volume 1, pages 45 to 56) and most of her dialogue was adapted from CLAMP, too._


End file.
